Sydenham Street Revived Grand Opening
Back in June we first told you about Sydenham Street Revived, a community-led initiative to see the entire block of Sydenham Street from Princess to Queen, turned into a pedestrian-only green space. The pop-up park, which was officially opened this past Friday, is designed to encourage pedestrians to interact not only with each other, but also with community focused events, art exhibits and other interactive activities. The space includes seating, gardens, sidewalk chalking and life sized board games. This three-week long experiment not only strives to bring the community together, but also to collect the information needed to inspire change:
This temporary park project will provide the opportunity to collect both qualitative and quantitative data about use and enjoyment of the park and the economic impact on the surrounding businesses, providing information that can help the downtown’s key decision makers re-imagine this section of street as a place for people rather than cars.
The park will be on display until September 13th. 
Community organizations such as KFPL have participated by contributing to the park. Here is a great reminder that sometimes you just need to sit by a tree and read a good book
Interactive displays like this one invite people to tell the city what they need and wish for in their community.
Local artist Stefan Duerst, with the help of a group of local artists, created this beautiful bench specifically for Sydenham Revived. From Duerst’s blog: “The community will interact with the piece over the next couple weeks by actually painting it, watching a dance performance, etc. We are excited to be part of this community involved event, and are looking forward to more public art in Kingston!”
Yarn bombs adorn various poles and bike racks, while temporary trees have also been decorated with ornaments created by artists and other community members.
Sidewalk chalkers express the positive vibes that come with having a beautiful, outdoor space in the community.